lieberman



Feb. 20, 1923. 1,446,439 N. 1.. LIEBERMAN FLU ID GAUGE Filed June 12,.1920

NATHAN L LIEBERMAN 551g fla Patented Feb. 20, 1923.

' om n STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NATHAN L. LIEBERMAN, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

FLUID GAUGE.

Application filed June 12,

One of the-objects of the invention is to provideapparatus of the above type which liquid ti ht commun shallbe of simple. and inexpensive construcioniandwh-ich shall be reliable in action. Yfllknotll'er' is tOPIOVldB apparatus of thetype inentioned ,whichshall be easy to installlin any relation in which it may be used.

of a member, preferably a diaphragm'subjectedto and displaceable by the head of liquid in a tank, and an indicator upon the dashboard or at any other convenient place, a simple transrnittingconductor being employed to connect-"a member and the indicator to cause the latter to show a reading corresponding to the displacement of the member.

The transmitting conductor referred to according to one desirable embodiment comprises a pipe or tube filled with preferably an incompressible liquid the said liquid being displaced substantially in )roportion to the head of fuel or other liquid in the tank, to actuate the indicator to a substantially proportional extent.

To obtain accuracy and sensitiveness, I prefer to provide a protruding resilient head at the end of the transmitting conductor filled with the incompressible fluid and in ication with the pipe. said head being constructed and. arranged for axial diminution by the force induced by the fluid to be gauged. In the preferred specific embodiment, the head comprises a cylindrical flexible side wall closed at one end, an appropriate spring-or springs maintaining 'said'fiexible side wall distended, the said construction acting as a pressure base,

' static gauge,

A feature of the invention is the provision 1920. Serial No. 388,533.

the end wall thereof being depressed against the resistance of said springs substantially d rectly in proportion to the magnitude of the head of liquid to be gauged; the cylindrical wall collapsing'correspondingly without undue strainthereon and'without escape of the confined incompressible liquid.

A ccording to another preferred feature, the gauge 15 actuated from an element thereof submerged under and subjected to the pressure of the depth of fluid being In the accompanying drawings-in which are shown some of the'various possible embodiments of the several features of this inrention, Fig. 1 is a view of a motor.vehicle showing one manner in which my gauge may be installed, Fig.2 is 'a view artly in longitudinal section ofone embodiment of my and preferably bodily displaceable under the seat and the dashboard being shown at 4:. Associated with the'jfuel tank in such manner as to be subjected to the heard of. liquid therein, there is a gauge element 5 to be described more fully :below which includes a part that will be displaced to-an=-extent substantially proportional to the head of liquid thereabove. Upon the dashboard there is shown by way of ex' ample a liquid level indicator 6, and a transnaittin; conductor which may comprise-a pipe or tube 7 of small diameter connects the gauge element with the indicator. The tube 7 is preferably of a material that can be easily bent to round corners as for instance at the junction between the flooraud the dashboard as shown in the drawings. Fig. 1 merely shows the relative disposition of the three constituent parts of my pre ferred form of gauges upon an automobile. comprising briefly a member 5 subjected to the head of fuel which I will therefore name head unit, an indicator unit 6 and a transmitting conductor 7 between the latter two elements.

In Figs. 2, 3, and 4 I have shown the details of various desirable forms of head units, indicator units and transmitting con- (llILZOIS ELSSOClQLBd MZltll,Bfich other in various desirable "vi'a'ysg it being-gunderstood that in each case the headunit is to be subjeeted to the 'head of fuel in the tank, the Ianlobeing in any desirable place'upon the vehicle, that the indicator unit is. to be placed at any convenient part of the vehicle, preferably upon the dashboard and that the transmitting conductor is to connect the headunit-:andithe; indicator unit substanti'ally'as shown in F ig.'1.

The 's'pea-ifie gauge or. head unit element illustrutively indicated in general outline sat-5. in Fig.1 appears-01in larger scale and in-detail in Fig. 2. Referring to Fig. 2 the floor of the: fuel 'tanltis shown at S and 'mounted thereon is'aibase element 9 for the unit; Ar -flexible metal diaphragl'n 10 of bel- -lowstype rests upon the-base Qand has the stark; A" 'plurality.

tliaiphragmu. y' prefewnce 'Lateralopenings extend over the openings otrts'idethe-hood'fl'c', said ang not'shown. The screens .serve'to prevent exthe periphery of its lowermost end secured thereto preferably-thy soldering :as at .10, a cover late 12 closing the uppermost end oftheidmphragm and being secured thereto prefer-ably by soldering as at-l2.- The diahra' 10 togetherwith its .base and cover 12thustdonstitute acompartment 11 which "isliquidtight' against entrymf fuel from of guide rods 14 preferably extend upwardly from thebase member 9 and through the plate 12, and are by preferenc'eeaoh encircled by at-oil spring 15, the'springs opposing eompressionlof the a -1Iletal hood? extends over the headunitcompartment 11 within threaded at:it's:lower end 28 into a flange 29rforrned integral with the base 9. 30 are provided in the hood preferably above thecover plate 12 and hue mesh wirescreens 31 preferably 30 either inside or screen elements besecured in place-by anyoonvenient means cessive surging of the fuel and also for straining out solid impurities.

In dotted lines is shown at 32 a spring arrangement alternative to the springs 15 for resisting compression ofthe bellows diaphragm 10; This spring is shown centrally secured at one'end 33 to-t-he-closed-.-end oi the hood -27 and centrally at its other end 3'4 to the cover plate 120f the'head unit compartment 11.

iln the referred form of apparatus, instead of t s liquid level indicator 6, 1 preer to employ an indicator:9.0 consisting of a pointer '0 rated by ii pinion QI'through :i'rack 22 n' this'emhodiment there is provided an indicator unit compartment 1". comprising a rigid base 23, a diaphragmnti: cover 36 preferably corrugated parallel therein the latter two elements being connected by a flexible metal side wall "34. The

mileye tain The two ereseparately applied one to -'us a. .baille plate in gross section as sh rn i he' aii se erencea head portion 5; th'e largest diam eter of 'l'llCll is no reater than that of the base 23-:tnd the 'Eerer 26, said head having a .rvidth roughly in theneighborhood of half the height or depth of the compartment. The rack 22 is preferably secured centrally to the outside of the diaphragmatic cover 26. The tube' 7 is in communication at one end wit h., t-he interior of the head unit comparb nent 11 and-fpnthis "u'rpose a union 16 is preferably provided it rich connects the tube end-t0 :i. ni pple.18"fo1 'inp t l integrally jivith the as 9 an rreie a h p sh i' e einggopeni nglfi. in t .e holtomoithe'tanlr. The opposite end of 'tlile vtnbe 7, is connected y; a la M en t -a milar -R sml ii z h l l l 'p -.9qmp ii mfill ilm P ll-"129 't be li r -a e noted; is

in e

,length .of .the mhejt and ,the indicator umtcompartment- 13- the asolinetankythe said hood being prefera-b y- Pnicr .tpith in iqliaiiefi i ;-the 'diii ice, the

unit. and the coni mn leil lfi ..tu e ti f mbly erz s m-i aes, et-She the illiquid theizeiu.

the tank and the other adjacent the dashboard, -.T,be.copduc ting,p ip e is then applied. the tuto endsheing'connected to the head and indicator units ,by the means shown after remoxaiof theplpsur' cap's.

.m y gauge installed, when the fuel 15 vpoured'into t e tank :2, the hood 2T"acts to prevent excessiye fluid impact strains upon the diaphragm element --After the fuel rises above. the lower level of :ppenings 30 itenters the interior of then-hood 27;thr ough the straining screens V230 and uisesoverthe exterior oihead unit compartment 11. The head of ffuel upon the cover plate will actto compress the bellows diaphragm against .the resistance of springs. 1 5!0r of spring 32 to anenterxt pro-,

portion'al-io -said l iead ancl in the process of thisconxpressionit xvi-H jorceoutsome of the IlIIQOlDpltESSlblfidlQllid Lthereiiijtli rough the tube -7' causing an .equal amount of the incompressible liquid NVllZlliIl tube 7 toenter. compartment 13. The entry of liquid into" being rigid elsewhere, so t -ment of onefiexiblewall must bring-about shock absorber to damp the oscillation of the indicator pointer as a result of the vibration of'the moving vehicle; 1

Briefly stated the head of fuel'deflects one "diaphra m, and the consequent shifting of the liquid within the gauge causes a corresponding deflection of the diaphragm forming the dynamic part of the indicator unit. In effect the entire gen constituting the head compartment, t e indicator compartment and't-he connecting tube constitute a single liquid tight chamber filled with incompressible fluid, chamber having flexible walls at o posite sides and v at any. displacea corresponding" displacement f the other fiexible'-wall.'

ln Fi g. 3 is shown an alternativ form of indicator unit which may be substltuted for that of Fig. 2. This unitcomprises a cylinder 17 having a small bore preferably of the same i diameter of tube 7 and'inco'mmunicatio n ameter as the internal with said tube, a relatively larger bore'36' communicating therewith. A: two-diameter piston has a part 35fitting in bore 35' and a larger part'36 fittin in'bore 36 Integral with the end 0% the largerpiston there is a stem 38 upon the outer end :of whiz-h is formed a rack 39 meshing with a pinion 40 for operating the: indicator pointer 41. A closure cap 42 is refer-ab] y threaded upon the end of the cy 'nder, the stem 38 passing througha hole 43 in said cap. A coil spring 44 encircles said stem and presses at one end against the cover 42 and at the other against the cylinder 37.

In operation it wlll be understood that the fluid pressure exerted upon the end of piston 36 will cause the same to-advance against the compression of spring: to more the pointer. As fuel is drawn from the-tank the pressure upon the piston is diminished, and spring '14 pushes the piston hack correspondingly causin the rack to correspondingly move the pointer through the pinion 40 for giving the appropriate indicator reading,

'Althoughl have shown in Figs. 1 and 3 an arrangement in which the tank element of my gauge rests within and upon the bottom of the fuel tank, it will be unthe tube 7.

derstood that the said element might be on the outside of the tank and in communication therewith.

It will be apparent that the indicator unit compartment 13 could be used as a head unit compartment. It will be seen that my gauge is applicable regardless whether the indicator is higher or lower in elevation than the fuel tank.

In the application of gauges of my invention of the type shown to pressure fluid feed systems it is desirable to provide an air by-pass tube as shown in dotted line from the gasoline tank to the top of the indicator compartmnt in Fig. 2 or to the -end of the piston in Fig. 3 nearest the indicator. By this means fluctuations in the air ressure within the tank transmitted to the. ead compartment would be compensated for, the indicator motive element receiving merely the net pressure due to the head offuel. 1

The liquid level gauge upon the dash board in Fig. 1 is shown in Fig. 4 and comprises by preference a glass or quartz tub 77 enclosed in a metallic tube 78 having an opening 79 through which the level of the liquid within the indicator may be seen, there being preferably graduations 80 either upon the metallic or the glass tube. A cap81 is threaded uponthe free end: of the metallic tube :78, .a gasket 82 forming a liquidtight connection. A similar closure 83 is provided at the lower end ofthe liquid level in connection with The volume of the liquid level between extreme graduations is preferably equal to the volume displaced from the head unit when the gasoline tank is fullh The head unit compartment and the connecting tube are filled with a quantity of liquid sulficient to reach the em ty registration upon the liquid level. With the parts related as described the level will give an accurate indication of the quantity of fuel in the tank.

It will thus be seen that I have" provided a liquid gauge, the readings of which are dependable, whether the fuel is fed by gravity or by pressure. The head unit, indicator unit and connecting tube constituting a single completely closed chamber as heretofore pointed out, no foreign matter such as air, water or fuel can enter to impair the accuracy of the instrument. It

should further be noted that by transmitting the pressure due to the head of fuel through a body of incompressible fluid I avoid the inaccuracy that may arise in the use of compressible fluids. such as air for similar purposes.

Although as above indicated the invention has its preferred application to the gauging of fuel in the tank of a motor vehicle it will be understood that the inention may be applied to advantage to tzliionary tanks: or reservoirs generally. Broadly. my gauge has its preferred application to on system in which the register- V for measuring the quantity of pressure of liquids. gases or vapors.

I claim: v i 1. :X-gaugc comprising: a closed chamber mntaimng a fluid materizil and' including 1. :1 head. the end Wallfofsaid head being subjected to e. force indu ed by the fluid to gauged and bodily "movable thereby to muse ii ll'isplacement of fluid from saidhead by the diminution ofthe axial length-thereof. toun extent suhstontidlly:proportional to said force, another part-o-f 'saiidchamber having an indicator associated therewith responding to the displacement'o f said fluid material- -2.i\ gauge comprising ajclosed-chamber filled with an incompressible liquid; said chamber-including a protnniiing resilient head subject to a forcesin'duce'dhy the fluid to be auged,-having its: end-wall bodily -movable therebyy' sr'wfixedi rigid itube in liquid-tight communication with; said head at one end, and a second'idisplaceirble head,

having an indicatoriziin liquid-tight. corn- 1 munica tion with-the other end 'ofwsaid tube,

-. and actuated through the inco'mpressible liquid by the displncement of said first head to operatethe indication" m 4' r 1 31- A gaugemomprisingi a. closed chamber l illed with a 'liquid-aiidsiretaind; against bod ily: displacement, :said chamberi including anend wall-subjected to 'iorceiindilced bv the fluid'to be gauged, and 'bodily. moi-'- able thereby, and a.-iiflexib-le'iliquic111tigbt side wall portion adjacent, said -jendnwvgll; diminishing its axial dimension impropertion' to the force upom saidend -'*.wal1-|-for corresponding bodily displacement of the latter, said chamber having a. seco'nd movable wall portion responding to saidend .2

wall displacement andanindicatorzactuated by said secondmovable wall-portion. 4. A liquid gauge comprising acloised chamber filled withn substantially iucom-- pressible fluid, said chamber includingsa head protruding intoa container of liquid to be gauged, sniid head-"having ian ,end wall subject to pressure of liquid there- :ibove, a. side wall portion of said head yieldable under said pressure for'diminution of its axial dimensiom-to permitsaid pressure to bodily depress said end wallnnd thus eject fluid from said-head; said chamher having a second well'portion external of said container and displnceable by pressure from said ejected-fluid, and an;indicator..

actuated by displacement of said second end wall.

5. In combination a tank of liquid, :1 gauge therefor comprising a compartment seated upon the bottom of said tank, the upper endof said compartment.comprising a head including a collapsible side wall, diminishing in an axialfidiregtion with increase of pressure due to} the contents of the tank. to cause a displaicement of the transmitting fluid from said compartment, tube communicating at one end with the interior of said'compertment and projecting from said tank, a second compartment in communication with the-othgr end ofsaid tube, said second compartment including; ;a. flexible. diaphragm, and an indiceton issocieted withlthelatter. i

A iq s s 'wmpr s e r'sldfiXQ pipe n cylinlflrical flexible side Wall portion fixedat 011. l lfiil h F$l 1 9 .fit Pip and. in, qui -tigh comm n cat ,i her a pres ure bas icb it tingi? sis seideide Well Pentium-son mean urging. said :flexible wgll-jo-ent ed position, a displaceable bend-closing- :the, opposite-end .of Said ipguenincompressible riiqnidicompletely ingithsic qsfi l l imhe firmed bf i ripms exd ide wallelem i said base and said head, whereby-said; base ,95 will berdepressed'in tpmp0.rtion' to the pres sure of fiuid to be gauged tpicorrespondingl r llapse a d fle F il ege nst. h

sistence ofisaidspring hereby tmdisplape theiliquid i -the intepioimgfthe' cnsing' end 100 tomorrespqnd ng y-id p eoe s id head and fie s i nseetuefied y sai head i '1 14in dlnwcombinetion, ,e fluid; conteiner, .a i mn ed icqns eitii s er e th rtaihingnwall dog-the flnid said ,con- 105 zitainer vseidl' ead "i lud ng? :11 lges le m fitallicelementiqarotrudinginto snidconai rs: wher by seidi l xib m "will wyieldiin' theifiireqtipn gi tbe'fluid pressure in theicontei-nierr-eml dimin sh h v lstwl -P o Ill ibn2 id)hfiat -i' '15! 2-93-11 H 8.: 1A. gaugeyincloding ia, firs compartmentha-wing. a 'part 9$; wall the form .of a flexible rliaphregm; .a tuhe communicating jet oneendwith shidcompentment, ,3. second 1 compartment: iin ;com,municnfii0n .with 1 the other end o fsaidltube said .seoond bompart menticoinprising e fixedlate, .a. diaphragm. and a---flexi m -we s n ous lsection? conne t ng sa lel men s h a liquid. tight joint,-a bodypf fluid filling said compartments andaseid connecting tube, said second compartment having an indicator .as Q a eM-he it 1 T A Y 9; A gauge includingn first compartmentms havinga part of its wzillig the 'formof a flexible diaphragm, j n tube communicating at one endwithsaidcompartment, a second compartment in communication with the other end of seidtube, said second compart- 130 re iance .-;5..."-I I. ment comprismg a fixed plate a diaphragm,

includingan upper wall portion theform or a flexible diapbragmgi-and alhood restin upon the bdttombf said'taijlroyersaidj diaphragruandprovidedwith la oral openings} the'up'pe'r' wall of said lio'od constituting a battle plate.

11. The combination of claim 10 in which the lateral openings are above the uppermost portion of said diaphragm.

12. In a liquid gauge, in combination. a compartment, including a flexible metal diaphragm of the bellows type, and a pair of walls closing the ends of said bellows and having a fluid tight connection therewith, said compartment being fixed near the bottom of the tank the contentsv of which a to be gauged, a tube communicating at one end [with the interior of said compartment, an indicator at the other end of said tube, and

an incompressible fluid completely filling said compartment and said tube.

-13. In a liquid gauge. in combination, a compartment having a bottom seated upon the bottom of the tank the contents of which are to be gauged, a flexible metal diaphragm of the bellows type rising from said bottom and constituting the side wall of said compartment, a closure plate for said compartment having a liquid tight connection with the upper end of said bellows, a tube communicating with a hole in the bottom of said compartment, an indicator connected to the other end of said tube. and a liquid filling said compartment and said tube.

14. In a liquid gauge, in combination, a compartment having a bottom seated upon the bottom of the tank the contents of which are to be gauged, a flexible metal diaphragm of the bellows type rising from said bottom and constituting the side wall of said compartment. a closure plate for said compartment having a liquid tight connection with the upper end of said bellows. guide rods extending upwardly from said bottom and through said closure plate, an indicator, and means communicating with the interior of said bellows for actuating the indicator.

15; The combination of claim 14 in which coil springs encircle the guide rods to offer opposition to the compression of the bellows.

16. In a liquid gauge. in combination. a compartment having a bottom seated upon the bottom of the tank the contents of which are to be gauged, a flexible metal diaphragm of the bellows type rising from said bottom and constituting the'side wall of Said compartment. a closure plate for said compartment having a liquid tight connection with the upper end of said bcllows,means to resist'compression of'said bellows and a hood risingfi'om the bottom of said tank and encircling said bellows andprorided with lat' eral openings, the upper wall of said hood constituting a ba'tile plate.

"11 filled wit a liquid, said chamber including afflexibleside wall portion; and means including 'an end wall closing said side wall portion subjected to force induced bysthe uid bei'i'ig gauged and "bodily displaceable' thereby to diminish the axial dimension of said side wall portion substantially in proportion to the pressure of said fluid, said chamber having a second movable wall portion responding to the displacement of said end wall, an indicator actuated by said second movable wall portion.

18. A gauge comprising a chamber containing a fluid material and including a head with a yielding side wall, and means having a part submerged under and subjected to the static pressure of the depth of fluid being gauged and bodily displaceable thereby, said means constituting an end closure wall for said head bodily movable by said static pressure to cause a displacement of fluid from said head by the diminution of the axial length thereof, to an extent substantially proportional to said pressure, another part of said chamber having an indicator associated therewith actuated by the displacement of said fluid material.

19. A gauge comprising a chamber filled with an incompressible liquid. said chamber including a protruding resilient side wall portion, means having a part submerged under and subjected to the static pressure of the depth of liquid being gauged. said means constituting an end closure for said resilient side wall portion bodily movable by said static pressure. a fixed rigid tube in liquidtight communication with the interior of said side wall portion at one end. and a second displaceable head in liquid-tight com munication with the other end of. said tube, and actuated through the incompressible liquid by the displacement of said first head and an indicator connected to said second displaceable head.

20. A gauge comprising a closed chamber filled with a liquid and retained against bodily displacement, said chamber including an end wall subjected to the head of fluid to be gauged and bodily movable thereby, and a flexible liquid-tight side wall portion adjacent said end wall. diminishing its axial dimension in proportion to the force upon said end wall for corresponding bodily displacement of the latter. said chamber having a second movable wall portion responding to angle comprising a closed chamber said end wall dis lacement and an indicator connected to said second movable walland actuated thereby.

21. As an article of manufacture, in com bination, a rigid fixed pipe, a flexible side wall portion fixed at one end with respect to said pipe and in fiuicLtight communication therewith, means including a pressure base constituting a closure for said side wall ele ment, said means having a part submerged under and subjected to the static pressure of the de th of fluid being gauged andbodily displacea ble thereby in a direction to collapse said side wall, a displaceable member closing the opposite end of said pipe, fluid completely filling the closed chamber formed of said pipe, said side wall element, said pressure base, and said displaceable member, whereby upon exerting pressure on said base, said wall will yield and said ressure base will be displaced substantially in proportion to the weight, thereby to displace the fluid in the interior thereof and to correspondingly actuate said head and means operated by said head-for indicating the magnitude of the pressure.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 11th day of June, A. D. 1920. V

NATHAN L. LIEBERMAN. 

